Hostage {ℍ𝕐𝕌ℕ𝕊𝕌ℕ𝔾} -- DISCONTINUED

Chapter Nineteen

This was a really, really bad idea. Jisung wasn't too sure what he'd been thinking – hell, had he even been thinking? With each moment that passed, he was leaning more and more towards no. Seriously, what had compelled him to help the gang leader? Someone who, until very recently, had been nothing more than an enemy?

He winced as Hyunjin landed a solid punch on the punching bag, sending him skidding back a few steps. This guy was stronger than he looked. Jisung readjusted himself to hold the bag more securely, sweat beading at his own temples, and he was hardly doing anything at all.

Hyunjin had zoned out, eyes trained on nothing but the heavy bag, his breathing ragged as he continued his onslaught of attacks. He continued to brace himself against it, evening out the force of the gang leader's fists with his own weight.

Soon enough, however, he caught sight of the blood slowly starting to seep into the white bandages wrapped around his fists. His eyebrows drew together as his eyes snapped back up to Hyunjin's face; was he that focused that he hardly felt the pain of the skin on his knuckles splitting apart?

He supposed a more adequate question would have been – was he really that lost?

It made him uneasy, how easily he was able to recognize the emotions haunting Hyunjin's face – as easily as if they were his own. Jisung wasn't the observant type, either; for him to notice shit like this it had to be pretty damn obvious.

A particularly hard hit sent the bag slamming back into his own body, knocking the wind right out of his lungs. He spluttered as he shoved it away, hands on his knees as he attempted to regain his breath. He waved a hand in Hyunjin's general direction as he slowly stood up, chest still heaving. "Okay, okay, break time."

That seemed to snap him out of whatever trance he'd been in, his eyes sliding over towards Jisung. He winced, glancing at his hands as his lips drew downwards into a frown. "You wrecked them pretty bad, didn't you?" Hyunjin simply sighed quietly.

Jisung's eyes followed him as he bit on the inside of his cheek. This was getting to be a bit ridiculous, now wasn't it? "Come on," he said, voice softer than it usually was; it almost took him aback, though it certainly surprised Hyunjin, whose eye snapped up to meet his.

Nodding at the corner of the room where the first aid kit rested against the wall, he turned on his heels and headed towards it, unsure of whether or not the gang leader was following or not. In the end, it didn't matter, now did it? It didn't change a thing whether Hyunjin let him treat his wounds or not.

After all this was over, they would be nothing but enemies once more; it was a reality the both of them knew all too well.

How long would it take after this little exchange ended, after they solved these murders, after they'd taken down the Bangs once and for all, for them to start trying to kill each other? Not long, if he knew his father even half as well as he thought he did. The Han family was notorious for keeping people around until they were no longer of use.

He tugged the first aid kit from the wall, peering over his shoulder just long enough to see Hyunjin standing behind him. He didn't make any further move, simply standing, staring, watchful eyes lost and dazed.

It wasn't a good look – especially on his only current ally. He snorted as he rolled his eyes, jerking his chin in the direction of the small bench beside him. "Sit. Those hands aren't going to heal themselves."

Hyunjin blinked, glancing down at his hands for a moment before slowly – much too slowly –taking a seat. Jisung knelt in front of him, throwing any and all consideration for his image out the window.